A major wedding exhibition opened here on Monday showcasing a vast array of jewelry, flowers, invitation cards, sweets and fashion. The three-day event is being held under the patronage of Princess Alanoud Bint Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Abdul Rahman Al-Saud. Areej Hassan, from the organizing company, XS, said it is the 14th time the exhibition is being held. “All a bride needs she can find here, including makeup, wedding dresses, fashion and home accessories. This year we have a much bigger expo, with more participants. We also expect more visitors.” The exhibition is being held in collaboration with Alfaisal University – Prince Sultan College for Tourism and Business Jeddah. Hassan said participants and exhibitors include a number of businesswomen, fashion designers, beauty experts and decorators. “The exhibition reflects the growing wedding market in the Kingdom, which is worth billions of dollars.” Eman Adel Abdul Shakur, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of XS, said a number of charities are also participating and highlighting their activities, in coordination with the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry. More than 160 global companies participated last year, an increase of 30 percent over the previous year. Buthyna Baljoun, from Dar Dantela for Fashion, said she always participates because the event allows her to promote new designs to many potential customers. Sara Koshak from Mofte la Bonche said she has participated for four consecutive years to attract more customers and showcase her products. __
